


Treasure Trove

by judes



Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-19
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2018-01-13 02:09:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1208890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/judes/pseuds/judes





	Treasure Trove

I hesitated as I approached. Loud bangs and curses echoed from the barge, current Paris home of Duncan MacLeod, but I could only sense one immortal presence. Still better to be safe than sorry, so I moved slowly up the gangway, sword drawn, and cautiously opened the door. The interior was brightly lit and seemingly overflowing with boxes, crates, suitcases, trunks and one very irate Scot.

"Don't just stand there gaping like a codfish. Get yourself in here and give me a hand". Duncan was clearly not in the best of moods.

"MacLeod! What on earth are you doing? Yesterday your barge was a minimalist's dream. Today it looks like an overstocked warehouse."

Duncan paused as he delved into a large packing case and looked up at me. His eyes crinkled as a smile emerged and my heart skipped a beat. Gods, the man was gorgeous. "I'm looking for something," he stated.

"I'd say that was pretty obvious. How about a little more detail? And a beer?"

The reminder of his obligation as host brought his attention away from the packing case and he pointed to the galley, "Help yourself. I've just restocked since I knew you were in town." He returned his attention to the case and began rummaging.

I removed my coat and hung it carefully so that the sword was easily accessible then found the beer. Good stuff - he was learning. Having opened the bottle, and taken a large swig, I moved carefully across the cluttered floor area that was once the lounge of the barge and approached  
MacLeod. "Ouch!" I banged my shin on the open lid of a trunk. Again, Duncan's head emerged

"Be careful! I don't want any of this damaging."

"What about me - it was my delicate shin bone that took the brunt of that particular encounter. And what is going on?"

Realising, perhaps, that I wasn't going to either go away or take silence for an answer, Duncan pulled himself upright and gestured elegantly with his right arm, indicating the paraphernalia that was suddenly cluttering his life.

"I got a call from my agent to remind me that I needed to review some items I had stored. They dropped them off this morning and I have to decide what I want to keep." He hesitated, undecided as to whether to tell me everything. I gave him an encouraging half smile and he continued, "After Tessa … and then Richie … I, er … couldn't bring myself to sort through their belongings so they were just packed away and stored. I need to decide what to do with everything."

"I see, and that involves a great deal of banging and swearing?" I moved several smaller boxes and found the couch Mac had recently restored to the barge. Ensconcing myself in its comfortable depths, I turned my full attention back to the Highlander, who was looking slightly embarrassed.

"I was … er … looking for something specific but couldn't remember which case it was in." He paused, obviously unsure of how I would receive the next bit of information. Although we had been friends for years, and lovers too, Mac was still uncomfortable discussing his feelings for Tessa with me. Apart from his guilt at her violent death, I knew Mac felt diffident about discussing a former female lover as he was only now coming to terms with his feelings for me. I smiled again and took another deep draught of beer.

"Would you mind helping me to look?" Now that took me by surprise. I had deliberately never trespassed on Duncan's feelings for Tessa, and, to a lesser extent, for Richie. Whilst I had derided his penchant for monumental guilt trips, I had never pried into the whys and wherefores of his love for Tess. Maybe he was ready to move forward after all.

"Okay. What am I looking for?"

"A black leather jewellery box. It's about this big," he gestured. "And it should be with the rest of Tessa's personal bits and pieces."

"All right, let's get to it. The sooner we can find it, the sooner this stuff moves out of here. Right?"

He grinned and turned back to the task.

It took a while. The cases hadn't been packed with any particular logic or, indeed, care. And Richie's belongings were mixed in with Tessa's. Eventually, however, I pulled myself out of a large tea chest, stretched to ease the crick in my back and declared, "Is this it?" Duncan moved across the room in a flash and almost snatched the black case from my hands. Shrugging apologetically, he took it to the couch and sat.

I joined him a moment later, settling in close enough so that our thighs touched but not so close that he would feel crowded or threatened.

Moments passed as he stared at the jewellery case. There was nothing remarkable about the exterior. There are hundreds of thousands like it all over the globe but it obviously had great meaning for Duncan and he caressed the leather gently, his thoughts miles, and years, away from me.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked softly as he continued to drift in memories. My voice brought him back and he shook his head. "No." He was obviously in the grip of painful emotions but he reiterated, "No, I want you to stay."

"Okay. Do you want to open it?"

He took a deep breath, paused and then depressed the catch. The box lid sprang open and a tiny delicate ballerina started to twirl in time to the tinny tune. As I watched, he started to sort through the small pieces of jewellery, and then he began to speak.

"Tess was given the box for her eighteenth birthday. It belonged to her mother. She kept mementoes in it. This charm bracelet was given to her by a favourite aunt one Christmas. This ring was from her grandmother. I gave her this watch soon after we met. She would often look through to remind herself of people she loved. She called it her treasure trove ……." He broke off as he stared at a delicate, diamond bracelet. "I gave her this just before we met Richie, just before I was forced back into the Game ….."

I reached across him and pulled something from the bottom of the box. It was a photograph, a polaroid, somewhat battered around the edges, but clearly treasured. He took it from me gently and sighed. It was Tess and Duncan, wearing silly party hats and clearly having a good time. Tessa's eyes were alight with life, laughter and love. Duncan was looking down at her with a slightly bemused expression - one I knew well from our years together - as if he couldn't believe anyone could be so lucky.

"This was our first New Year together. I'd just asked her to move in with me and she'd said yes. I couldn't believe my luck to have found someone like her. And now …..", he couldn't go, on using his free hand to wipe at his eyes. "She's gone. I couldn't protect her. Or Richie. I loved her so much and I lost her. I let her down again and again. Why would she keep this."

I took the photograph from him and put it back in the jewellery case. I placed the case on the floor and turned to face Duncan. I put my hands to either side of his face and turned his head so that he was looking at me.

"Duncan. You were very, very lucky to have found Tessa. Just as I am blessed to have found you. No matter what happens between us, remember this. As she loved you, so I love you. She treasured you as I treasure you. You are my treasure trove, now and forever."

He sighed and turned his cheek into my palm. Then he nodded. "I am lucky to have found you. To have been given another chance. Thank you for understanding and for sharing this with me."

"You're more than welcome. Come on, let's sort out the rest of the "treasure" then I can have my barge back the way I like it."

"What do you mean, your barge ………!

 

 

The end


End file.
